Ahmed winds up Kwara Express, inaugurates new firm

KWARA State Governmeas repealed the State’s Transport Corporation Law Cap. K54, Laws of Kwara State, which set up the transport corporation popularly known as “Kwara Express.”

The repeal followed the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed’s approval of the law repealing the edict, which was earlier passed by the Kwara State House of Assembly.

A statement signed on behalf of Harmony Holdings Ltd by its Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Tunde Abodunde, said that by the repeal of the edict the State Government has transferred all the assets and liabilities of the defunct Kwara State Transport Corporation to Harmony Holdings Ltd, (the investments holding company of Kwara State Government).

The new entity will now operate as Harmony Transport Service Ltd. The statement further noted that the repeal of the edict was informed by the need to run the company in accordance with private sector creed, which is expected to strengthen the transport company for greater efficiency and effectiveness, under the control of Harmony Holdings Ltd.

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali has cautioned Nigerian medical practitioners against embarking on strike over industrial disputes with their employers.

Ambali said strikes, though remained a constitutional right of any employee of labour, “when the need for it arises,” he believed that the Hippocratic Oath administered to all medical graduates, should be their watch word at all times.

Besides, the Vice Chancellor, who spoke at the Professional Initiation and Admission Ceremony for the 2015 Batch B Medical Graduands of the University, noted that innocent poor patients, rather than the employers often suffer from the brunt of such strikes.

It will be recalled that Kwara Express had been under the management and supervision of Harmony Holdings Ltd since September 2012, a position, which had led to salvaging the entity from near total collapse pre-take over to the position of profitability and improved fortune.

While reacting to the repeal of the edict, the Group Managing Director/CEO, Harmony Holdings Ltd, Mr. Tope Daramola, welcomed the development and stated that Harmony Holdings Ltd remains committed to the renewal agenda at Kwara Express as envisaged by the State Government. He stated “Harmony Holdings has demonstrated its commitment to Kwara Express in many instances.

Some of the steps taken by Harmony Holdings to re position the company since September 2012 include the total payment of indebtedness of Kwara Express to The Infrastructure Bank in the tune of over N86Million, payment of arrears of salaries, allowances, cooperative contribution owed staff of the Corporation since 2008, and implementation of minimum wages.